Dark Chocolate
by Mikell
Summary: The boys visit Hershey, Pennsylvania for the famous annual Hershey Park in the Dark celebration. A dirty trick nearly leads to tragedy. The Turtles will save more than one life this All Hallo's Eve, and might just have some fun along the way. Fluff!
1. Chapter 1 Leonardo's Game

**A/N: Happy Halloween everyone!**

**I hope you find this tale of intrigue and romance a sweet little Halloween treat. It was meant to be a one-shot, but grew into a monstrous, hairy Halloween chapter-fic!**  
**The trick's on me this year- I checked, and Kame shows no signs of transforming. *sigh* I had such hopes of the full moon.**

**Ah well, thanks for reading! And thanks to Fair Drea and Melody Winters for ideas and rambling chats of insanity, and to Duckie Pray for beta-reading some bits and helping with the growing process. **

**This one's a work in progress, so for the first time _ever_, I'm not making a guarantee of daily updates! Muh-wah-hahahahahahaha!**

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_**~Leonardo's Game~**_

"Woooo!" yelled Raph as the coaster roared through a loop. Leonardo put his arms up, all the while wondering if the bolts would be strong enough to hold the car to the track and how he'd let himself get talked into this particular form of insanity. Michelangelo was screaming, sounding remarkably like a twelve-year-old girl.

Leo knew, as they hit the bottom of the last drop and Mikey's voice went even higher, and Sierra giggled in the seat beside him, why. It was a chance of a lifetime and an experience his brothers and their wives would not soon forget. They filed off the ride. Mike leapt into the air with a whoop. Leo winced.

"Mike," he hissed, "Low profile, remember?"

"Bro, that was awesome. Let's do it again!" Mikey shouted.

"You sure?" Austin gave him a sardonic look, one eyebrow rising.

"Yeah." Raphael clapped his brother on the shoulder with a grin. "I never heard Mikey scream like dat."

"I don't know, Raph. I heard him screech last week when you guys were sparring," teased Ann. Raphael guffawed.

"Hey!" protested Michelangelo, but he was grinning. "That's cold, Sis."

Donatello chuckled, laying his arm over Beverly's shoulder. "Let's try the water park," he suggested. "It closes soon."

"Ok," said Raph. "But I want to do Fahrenheit again before we go."

Leonardo groaned. "Raph, you've been on it three times already."

Ann laughed. "He's nuts," she said.

Raphael smirked. "Nah, I just like da way ya grab me at take-off."

Ann punched his arm, blushing.

"What do you want to do, Leonardo?" asked Sierra. Leo smiled into her eyes. He still couldn't quite believe her; she was too good to be true.

"I'm doing it," he whispered. "I just want them to have a good time and be safe."

"Hey, Fearless, why don'tcha go on an' have fun wit' yer girl," said Raph. "It's yer vacation, too."

"Well…" Leo hesitated.

"Don't worry, Leo" said Austin. "You know I'll take care of Mike and Don's got Bev to watch his back. We've all got our phones and we know what to do if anything goes wrong." She laid a hand on his arm and gave him the smile he'd always had trouble resisting. "Leo, go. Have fun."

Leonardo nodded, realizing he was defeated. He grinned. "Well, Sierra, what do you say I win you one of those big stuffed tigers?"

"Oh, that would be amazing," said Sierra shyly. She tucked her arm in his, and Leo saw her shoot Austin a grateful look over her shoulder as they walked toward the midway.

"Have I really been that distracted?" he asked as soon as they were out of ear-shot of the others.

"Mmmhmm." She leaned into him. "They really can take care of themselves, Leo."

"They can get themselves into trouble, too," he grumbled good-naturedly. "This kind of freedom," he gave a small wave to a little girl who was staring at them with eyes stretched wide. "It can be intoxicating. Besides, Mike and Raph don't need any excuses to get into trouble."

Sierra snorted. "They've got Ann and Austin to look out for them."

Leonardo grinned. "Those two can be just as bad," he remarked. "Bev's the only one I'd trust to really keep them in line."

"I'm sure they'll be fine," said Sierra. "Besides, how often do I get you all to myself?"

Leo snaked one arm around her waist, drawing her closer.

"Do you want to try The Comet?" he asked as the cars roared past along the wooden track. "Don says it's one of the last wooden roller coasters left in the United States."

"Pass. How about the Tilt-a-Whirl?"

"Really?"

"Sure. Unless you don't want to."

"Let's go."

Sierra laughed like a little girl, skipping ahead. Leo chased her, catching her hand, and she spun around aiming a playful swat at his plastron. Leonardo captured her other hand, pressing his face against her palm. A familiar shiver ran through her and she came closer until she stood against his plastron.

Leo stared down into her face, lost in her green eyes until a distinct giggle had him stepping back, instinctively reaching for the katana that wasn't in its holder. Don had managed to smuggle his bo, and Michelangelo his nunchucks, in as part of their "costumes", but his and Raphael's blades were too obviously dangerous, and they'd been forced to leave them in the BattleShell. A small group of teenage girls nearby were watching him and Sierra. One of them turned away, covering her mouth with her hand, obviously trying to stifle her laughter.

"Come on, love," said Sierra gently, taking his elbow and steering him toward the ride.

Regret rose in Leo's chest. "I'm sorry," he said softly.

"For what?"

"For… not being… well, normal." _For holding you back. For not being able to take you places like this all the time. For not being the man you deserve._

"Hamato Leonardo!" Sierra's voice was so sharp he stopped short, turning to look at her. She reached up to cup his cheek with one hand. "Leonardo. You are…" She trailed off, and Leo was startled to see tears standing in her eyes. "You are _amazing._ I am _so_ blessed. I wouldn't change you, wouldn't change _us_ if I could."

Leo bowed his head, humbled. Her arms came around his neck, and she pressed her lips to his mouth. "I don't care what _anyone_ thinks," she whispered. "They don't know what they're looking at. They don't know what I have. Leo, I _love _you. Would you love me more if I were a Turtle, like you?"

Leonardo blinked. "What? No, of course not." He ran his fingers through her silky black hair.

"Well, I wouldn't love you more as a human," she said. "In fact, it would be weird." She giggled, and something loosened in him, letting a chuckle loose.

"You are really something, Mrs. Hamato," he whispered.

"So are you, Hamato Leonardo-san," she answered with a smile. "Now, come on. Let's check out that ride."

He let her lead him up the ramp. The line was short, and the were able to get right on. Leonardo settled into the inside of the car, letting Sierra take the center. She pulled the bar down across their laps and laughed with delight as the ride began spinning. Faster and faster it went until Leonardo found himself pressed into the corner, with Sierra pulled against him by sheer centrifugal force.

"I see why you like this ride now," he called to her over the happy shrieks of the other riders.

Sierra laughed with delight, deliberately pressing even closer against him. Leo laid his arm over her shoulders.

When the ride stopped, they climbed out, following the few teens off the ride.

"What now?" she asked.

"Hmm I seem to recall offering to win you a stuffed animal," he said with a grin.

"Let's go."

They headed for the midway. Sierra shook her head at the huge stuffed bananas in one booth, and the oversized pink gorillas in another. Suddenly, she pointed. "That one!" she said. "I'd like one of _those._"

Leonardo shook his head. "Are you sure?"

"Yep."

Leo shook his head, but approached the booth, dropping his dollar on the counter. The man laid five baseballs in a small raised ring.

"Knock down the bottles, three down wins a prize," he rattled, his eyes sliding over Leo disinterestedly as he kept a look out for other unwary park-goers he could lure in. "Knock down three groups for a medium prize, four for a large, all five groups gets you an extra large stuffed Turtle." He smirked slightly. "Looks like the lady collects turtles, Friend, see if you can win her another."

"I intend to," answered Leo good-naturedly.

He picked up a ball. His first shot hit the bottles squarely, knocking down the stack.

"Whoa, got it in one," called the carny, loudly enough so passerbys could hear. "Think you can get another, Friend? Remember, three groups down wins a prize, give it a try, dollar a ball," he called to a group of teenage boys who were looking their way.

Leo ignored the man's heckling, taking another deadly-accurate shot and dropping another stack of bottles with a rattling _crash_.

"That's two, that's two, need just one more for a prize, that's right folks, he makes it look easy, doesn't he? Just one more group of bottles gets the lady one of these monkeys, cute, isn't it folks? But she wants a turtle…"

Leo grinned. _You have no idea._

_Crash_. The third group of bottles flew off the table. The cary's eyebrows rose.

"That's three, that's three, folks, the lady wins a prize! See how easy it is? You there, Edward Cullen," he pointed to a young man wearing a vampire outfit. "Win one for your girl, look how easy it is…"

"I've got two more shots," said Leo calmly.

"You do indeed, sir," answered the attendant, backing out of the line of fire. "Just let me set these up for you again…"

Leonardo watched as the man set up the bottles. He noticed that he'd set the configuration slightly differently this time, and frowned. _With the weight of the top bottles balanced that way, it'll be harder to knock the stack down unless I hit it just… there._ _The shot's meant to be tricky, but it's not for a ninja._

"Two more, two more wins the giant Turtle for the lady." The man was smirking now, confident in his con game. "Just two more shots, or she goes home with a monkey…"

Leonardo tuned out his spiel as easily as Mikey's chatter, lining up the shot and hitting the bottles exactly in the right spot to send them tumbling. The carny stared, shocked out of his speech for the instant it took Leo to throw the second ball, taking out the last stack of bottles with hardly a flourish.

"There you have it," cried the man behind the counter. "See how easy it is, folks? A prize for the lady! She wins the giant turtle."

He reached up, leaning to reach one of the stuffed animals.

"I'd like the blue one, please," said Sierra with a smile. The man shot her a look over his shoulder, but met Leo's stern gaze and gave them a sheepish grin.

"All right, lady. Hang on." He climbed up onto the counter, lifting down the turtle with the blue hat.

"That was a heckofa shot, Pal," he remarked. "You played this before?"

Leonardo grinned. He'd been throwing shurikens since he was old enough to hold one, and target practice had been part of his training.

"I've played a few games in my time," he said casually, hooking an arm around Sierra's waist. She grinned at him over the stuffed turtle.

"Skylar and Kouki will adore this," she said, hugging it.

"You mean you're not going to keep it for yourself?" he asked lightly.

"Hmm, I may have to keep it on our bed," she answered, laughing when Leo grimaced. "How'd you beat that game, anyway? I've never seen anyone win the last two shots. Usually there's one bottle standing."

"Secret ninja trick," said Leo with a smirk.

"Oh, you."

_This was a good idea, after all,_ thought Leonardo as she leaned her head against his shoulder. _I just hope the others are having as much fun as we are, and that they stay out of trouble._


	2. Chapter 2 Coasting & Hunting

**A/N: A couple of reviewers have asked about the pairings. The girls are from my romance series, beginning with _Mikey in Love_. This story will make more sense if you've read the series, but it's not necessary. **

**A short-hand version for those unfamiliar with the series: Mikey is married to Austin, Raph to Ann, Don to Beverly and Leo to Sierra. Mikey and Austin have a daughter, Skylar, and Don and Bev have a son, Kouki, who are at home with Grandpa Splinter. ^-^  
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**I still own no unusually large and skilled Turtles. Kame remains his normal, un-mutated self. He is, however, the star of my new blog. See my profile for the link.**

**Since I have a couple chapters complete, I'll do daily updates as long as I'm able, so here's today's "treat".  
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**_~Coasting & Hunting~_**

Raphael watched his brother leave, smirking at the way his arm went around Sierra.

He was the first to admit that he'd mistrusted the dark-haired girl at first. He never would have guessed, meeting her for the first time, that they would enjoy the close relationship they did now. Of all the girls, Sierra seemed to understand him the best, next to his own wife, Ann. It was Raphael she went to most often when she and Leonardo argued. She wasn't a talker by nature when she was upset, and Raph was content to let her be. He understood her occasional need to be alone and had gone to bat with Leonardo for her when she wanted to look for a job. He'd been the first she told when she found a dance studio with an opening, and he'd encouraged her to apply for the job.

Ann poked him in the arm. "Come on, Hamato. I want to ride the Skyview."

"Da what?"

The aerial tram." Ann pointed. "It looks like fun."

"Uh, ok, I guess, but it don't go fast or not'in."

"I know." Ann made a face. "Sorry, Raph, but my stomach's getting kind of upset after all those roller coasters."

"Aw, I'm sorry Annie. Why didn't ya say somet'in?"

"It's ok, I'm fine." Ann took Raphael by the arm. "Come on."

"Well I wanna go on the Whip," said Mike. "You in, Austin?"

"All right," Austin grinned.

"How about you, Don? Want to get a close-up, personal experience with centrifugal force?" asked Beverly with a grin.

"I um… well, I kind of thought… I mean, I'd like to just… you know, walk around a bit."

"Da genius means he wants ta get a closer look at da rides," said Raph, grinning.

"Well, how often do we get an opportunity like this?" Donatello's eyes lit up. "The engineering that went into some of these attractions…"

"You're the only Turtle who can make _roller coasters_ boring, Donny," muttered Mike. "You wanna come with us, Bev, while Don geeks out?"

"We told Leo we'd stick together…"

"Bev, we both have our shell-cells," Donatello said. "But I don't have to go. I can go with you on the Whip."

"Oh, Donny, it's ok. I'm a big girl." Beverly smiled. "Go. Just be _careful_."

Donatello grinned like a child handed a treat. "Always am."

"Where we gonna meet up, an' when?" asked Raphael.

"Let's come back here after the rides," suggested Austin. "Then we can decide what to do next."

"Sounds good ta me." Raph nodded.

"Have fun," said Ann, catching him by the arm and leading him away. Michelangelo headed for the Whip grinning, his wife on one arm and his sister-in-law on the other.

"Oh we ain't nevah gonna here da end o' _dat_," grumbled Raphael.

Ann laughed. "He's having fun," she said.

"Yeah. Hey Annie?"

"Yes, Raphael?"

"Are _you_ havin' fun?"

"Of course I am. I've never been to an amusement park before."

"Really?" Raph was surprised, but the woman shrugged. "Well whatdaya know. Me either." He smirked.

The line for the Skyview wasn't long, and soon they were standing on painted footprints, waiting for the bench to come up behind them. The attendant closed the gate across the front of the bench, and Raphael leaned back as they were lifted off the ground and swung out off the platform, rising higher over the park. He glanced upward, slightly uneasy.

"Mebbe we shoulda waited 'til Don had a chance ta look at dis t'ing," he muttered.

"Oh, Raph." Ann leaned against him, and he moved his arm, laying it comfortably around her shoulders.

"Hey, dis is kinda nice," he said, leaning over for a kiss.

"Get a room!" yelled a voice.

Raphael twisted in the seat with a growl. A teenager in the car behind them leered.

"Ignore him," said Ann, squeezing Raph's leg. "He's just some obnoxious kid."

"He's gonna be a dead kid if he don't shut up," grumbled Raph.

Ann leaned into him, and laughed. "Hey, look, you can see the whole park from here," she said. She pointed. "There's the coaster you guys went on earlier."

"Yeah dat's Storm Runner. An' over there's Sidewinder. I wanna go on dat one again, too."

"Mmhmmm."

"I love ya, Annie."

"Ok."

He looked at her. "Dat's it? Jus' 'ok'?"

She grinned. "Well, what do you want me to do, faint?"

Raphael chuckled. "Nah. I like ya awake…"

"And kissing you." She leaned in closer, sealing her mouth against his.

If the kid behind them commented, Raphael didn't hear him. He was lost in the scent of cinnamon and the feel of soft lips pressed to his. He settled back in the car, content.

"Hmm, I like dis thrill ride," he drawled.

"You're terrible." Ann shook her head, but leaned against him. "Do you think Donny will be ok?"

"Sure. How much trouble can he get inta anyway? Wait… don't answer that." Raph made a face.

"He'll be fine," said Ann, grinning. "He _is _ninja, after all."

"Yeah."

They rode in silence until the cart came back around to the end of the ride, dropping them off on the platform again.

"Whatdaya say, Annie, you ready for another round on Fahrenheit?" asked Raph with a grin.

Ann shook her head, rubbing her stomach. "I think all the rides on the coasters are starting to get to me," she said ruefully.

"Aw, dat's ok," said Raph, stifling his disappointment.

Ann leaned into him with a sigh. He heard the _lub-dub_ heartbeat of Storm Runner getting ready to take off, and glanced longingly in that direction. When he looked back at his wife, she was watching him.

"You really want to go off on the rides, don't you?" she asked quietly.

"Well it's an amusement park, Annie. We don't get ta do dis kinda stuff, ya know?"

Her eyes narrowed and he saw the spark that meant she was getting annoyed.

_Well, what da shell? Am I supposed ta miss out 'cause she can't handle da rides?_

"I thought we could, you know, check out the games and things."

Raphael snorted. "You want me ta win ya one o' dem cheap toys?"

"Well, when you put it _that_ way, no," snapped Ann.

"Aww, come on, Annie. I don't wanna fight." Raph shook his head. "I jus' wanna have a good time, ya know?"

"I thought we _were_ having a good time," responded Ann. "Listen, why don't you just go? I'll find the others and see you later."

_Fine._ The word was on the tip of his tongue, but a flash of hurt in her brown eyes froze it before it could slip out.

"Nah, let's find 'em together," he said. "I want _you_ to have a good time too, Annie."

"I was. I was having a good time with you." She sniffed, unforgiving. When he stiffened, she shook her head. "Listen, Raph, I don't want to be selfish. Let's find the others. You can go ride whatever, and I'll hang out with the girls for a while, ok?"

"Maybe me an' Mike can check out Storm Runner, den I'll win ya one o' dem silly stuffed animals," said Raph, glad to have the argument resolved.

"Ok."

"Dat's it?" he teased, nuzzling her hair. "Jus' 'ok'?"

Ann moved away, nodding. "Yep."

_What da shell? Ok fine, you wanna be dat way, I'm gonna go ride da coaster. She'll get over it._

They walked without touching back toward the Whip, where Michelangelo, Bev and Austin were piling off the ride laughing.

"You shoulda seen your _face, _Bev!" Mikey crowed.

"I was _sure_ he was going to get me," said Beverly, laughing. "And with you yelling encouragement, it's a wonder the poor kid didn't!"

"Mike, you're awful," added Austin, but she was laughing too.

"What'd you do now, Chucklehead?"

"It was _classic_, Raphy. This kid sittin' next to Beverly was lookin' all sick and stuff, so I…"

"He was yelling at him to watch where he aimed that thing," interjected Austin. "Asking what he had for lunch…"

"It's a good thing he made it through the ride," Beverly mock-glared at Michelangelo. "He was sitting right next to me!"

"Nice one, Mike." Raphael chuckled. "Hey, whatdaya say we go check out Storm Runner? Ann don't wanna ride anymore."

"Are you feeling ok, Ann?" Beverly asked.

"I'm fine," said Ann quickly. "I've just had enough roller coasters for a while. What do you girls want to do?"

"Why don't we check out the shops while the boys go on the rides? We can all meet back here in say, an hour?" suggested Beverly.

"Sounds good," Ann nodded.

"I'm in," said Austin.

"Cool," said Raph. "If you're sure you're ok with it, Annie?"

"I'm sure."

"Aww-RIGHT!" crowed Mikey. "Let's go!"

"Ok, Chucklehead," said Raph. He gave his wife a little wave. "See ya in a bit, Ann."

"Ok."

He tried not to notice the hardness in her eyes as she turned away.

_I know yer mad, Annie, but shell, dis is a once-in-a-lifetime t'ing fer us. I'll make it up to ya later. _

Mikey was already half-way to Storm Runner. Raphael picked up the pace. He was so intent on catching up with his younger brother, he nearly ran into a park attendant.

"Sorry," he muttered, backpedaling and cursing himself. Part of the low-profile meant not attracting too much attention. Blending was only possible if the human park-goers didn't get a close look at them. The dim lighting helped, but bumping into someone could give the game away.

"No problem. Have a great night," said the kid, but his eyes were already sliding past Raph. He strode away. Something in the kid's tone caught Raphael's attention. He was distracted. That in itself wasn't unusual, but there had been something… unsettling about the boy's eyes. He'd looked too calm. Raphael'd seen that look before, many times, in the eyes of street criminals. The shifty look, the nerves, the way they tuned out their environment while they focused on what they were about to do, were all dead giveaways of a criminal about to ply his trade.

"Come on, Raphy!" Michelangelo appeared at his elbow, dancing excitedly. "There's hardly any line!"

"You go ahead Mike. I… I gotta check somet'in out," said Raphael, watching the boy as he wove through the crowd.

"Uh, ok, I guess."

Raph took off, slipping through the crowd after the boy. Storm Runner would have to wait. He had hunting to do.


	3. Chapter 3 Donatello Encountered

**A/N: I have five chapters written, two to go if my plan holds together, so this might get daily updates after all. **

**Day two of NaNoWriMo! I made my word-count goal and then some yesterday. No clue what I'm on about? Google NaNo, or visit my _From Mary's Pen_ blog (link in my profile).**

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_**~Donatello Encountered**_~

Jim Morrisey had been in the business longer than anyone could remember. Certainly longer than his young upstart of a boss, Trevor Jenkins. Long enough that he remembered the bad old days of the carnival, the days before strict and stringent safety measures, the days when the traveling shows were deathtraps, before background checks for the workers and random visits from safety inspectors to ensure the rides were in working order before the public were allowed to scare themselves silly on them.

Trevor's recent announcement that a young engineer would be interning at Hershey had irritated Jim. Some young know-it-all, fresh out of college, coming in to observe _his _park, his job, his handiwork. Maybe making suggestions on the _new _way of doing things. Jim snorted. The day he'd let some kid come in and change the way he did things would be the day he'd hang up his tool-belt. The systems had become more and more sophisticated over the years, but Jim had grown and learned along with the industry, and he wasn't about to let go of his job until he was certain his replacement had the same feel for the rides as he did. That's what this engineer really was, Jim knew. He'd never worked with an intern before. Trevor's only reason for bringing this kid in now was so that Jim could train him. The "intern" fiction would allow them both to make the transition with dignity.

So much had changed about the business, but one thing never changed; Jim's dedication to keeping the guests in _his_ park safe. As a young man many, many moons ago, he had seen the devastation caused by a ride "failure" as it was called. He'd heard the screams, seen the terror in the faces, felt the helpless horror and known the despair of being powerless to repair what had been broken. Rides he could fix. Fragile human bodies, not so much. Some things couldn't be restored with a new bolt or cable. Some things, once broken, stayed that way. He would train this young engineer so that he never had to see that devastation, if it was the last thing he did.

Jim grumbled under his breath as he made his way toward the Ferris Wheel's main controls. Kenny, the teenager running the switches, was a good kid in Jim's estimation, a high compliment indeed. In his first year of college, Kenny was always smiling, even in the face of Jim's habitual scowl. He was polite and attentive with the guests, but firm about height requirements and he actually _listened_ when Jim had explained the emergency shut-offs and what to do if the ride ever failed. Even Trevor, well-versed in the necessity of Jim's position as Safety Engineer, sometimes rolled his eyes at the long-winded earnestness of his instructions. It was really too bad Kenny wasn't the new intern. Kenny had all the makings of a good Safety Engineer, in Jim's rarely-expressed opinion.

Jim knew every bolt, every cable, every system on every ride in the park. He knew how to keep the rides up and running, and he knew, beyond a doubt, that his rides were the safest anywhere. Safe enough for his daughter to ride, if she were able. Safe enough for his little Liz to throw up her hands and screech with delight with the other guests… if only she could raise her hands, if only she could find her voice, if delight could shine out of those vacant brown eyes once more…

Jim shook his head. There was no sense in regretting what could not be. Thanks to young Trevor's father getting him this job after the accident, he could guarantee Liz's life, such as it was, would be comfortable. The fact that she didn't know him, didn't know where she was or respond to anything in the world around her was irrelevant. She was his baby, his angel, and he would keep her safe for as long as he lived. Safety was his job, after all.

A goblin ran past Jim, startling him out of his thoughts. He bit off a curse, remembering at the last possible instant Trevor's continual warnings about the "family" atmosphere of the park. The child didn't even pause in its headlong flight toward the Ferris Wheel's entrance. No apology, no 'excuse me'.

"Typical," muttered Jim, stepping behind the fence that neatly separated the ride's inner workings from the public view.

The shadows were a relief, cloaking him, hiding him from the rude, the clueless, and the inane. People came here to enjoy themselves. It was Jim's job to see they survived the experience. He opened the padlock, swinging the door open and stepping inside. He was careful to pull it closed so the latch _clicked_. The door couldn't be opened from the outside without the key attached to Jim's belt, keeping curious park-goers at safe bay.

He made his way directly to the panel, opening the dark-green door that was stuck all over with impressively lettered signs: _Warning, High Voltage. Authorized Personnel Only_, and began his daily inspection. The movement was so slight, he might not have heard the rustle if the ride hadn't just slid to a halt, momentarily silent. Jim turned, instinctively searching for a rodent. Mice could wreak devastation on a ride's inner workings.

The bare lightbulb hanging above him was of a far lower wattage than normal. When it had blown last week, he'd simply replaced it with one of the thousands of smaller bulbs used to light the rides, rather than going into the stock room for a regular lighbulb. He'd meant to get to it, to fetch the brighter bulb, but other jobs had taken precedence. Now he blinked, wishing he _had_ taken the time to change the bulb. Perhaps if he had, he would be more certain that the young man backed into a corner, watching him with wide, wary brown eyes wasn't _really_ wearing a turtle costume.

Jim's momentary shock turned quickly to irritation. True, Trevor had passed down an edict directing _all_ the staff members to dress up for Hershey Park's annual Hershey Park In the Dark celebration.

It was Halloween, said Trevor. The guests will be dressed up. We should join in the fun. The memo went on to describe a long list of restrictions and advice on costumes that would neither offend nor frighten guests, or get in the way of staff's ability to do their jobs. Jim had read it, snorted, crumpled it and thrown it away. Obviously his intern hadn't.

"You're the new kid. Trevor said you were comin'," he said gruffly. The boy's stance relaxed slightly. Something flickered in his eyes.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you." His voice was soft, but not timid, the mask amazingly real. It even moved when he spoke. Jim ignored the costume, focusing on the voice. The kid sounded confident without being over-eager. Jim nodded, grudgingly accepting that this kid might, just possibly, have a future in this business. That was, if he wasn't lured away by his obvious love of theatrics. The costume, what Jim could see of it in the dim lighting, was brilliant. Jim knew costumes. He'd seen all kinds of costumes and make up in his carny days. He'd even worn some, playing the Beast Boy of Borneo in a low-budget traveling circus for a while. The purple mask tied over the Turtle's eyes was a bit much, in Jim's opinion, but that was young people for you, always going just a little overboard.

"Well you might as well get your start," said Jim. "Trevor could've told me you were coming tonight."

"I um, wanted to check out the park a little," said the boy. He sounded cautious, as if he weren't quite sure if he were in trouble or not. "You know, see how things work."

"Well that's what you're here for, isn't it?" muttered Jim. "To learn how to keep these rides working?"

"Uh, sure."

Jim shook his head. "What do they teach in them colleges, anyway? This here," he pointed, allowing pride to creep into his voice. "This here is one of the most up-to-date automated safety systems in use anywhere. See that?" He pointed to a small LED light flashing green. "Ignore it. It's supposed to tell you everything's running smoothly. It's just a light, hooked up to a bit of wiring. A basic circuit." He glanced at the boy. He was watching, nodding.

"If the electricity is interrupted by a failure in the ride's circuitry, it'll go red. I read about it…" The "turtle" cut himself off as if aware he was babbling.

Jim allowed himself a tiny smile. "That's how it's supposed to work. But this little light," he tapped it contemptuously. "It can't tell you if a bolt's coming loose or a cable's frayed. You've got to _learn _the rides. Machinery has a life of its own. It's a living system."

"It's complex," the boy nodded. "No one failsafe is enough. You've got to have back-ups."

"And you've got to check your equipment _continually_," Jim told him. "What's your name, anyway?"

"Donatello. Donatello Hamato. It's nice to meet you, Mr…"

"Morrisey. Jim Morrisey. You can call me Jim."

He was starting to have a good feel about this kid. Maybe, just maybe, Trevor had chosen well for once. He began explaining the intricacies of the circuits. The boy moved closer, but Jim noticed out of the corner of his eye that he was careful not to touch the man. He hoped the kid wasn't phobic about personal space. They'd be working in some tight quarters together, climbing around under the access panels for some of the ground-based rides. Truth be told, Jim was looking forward to having someone _else_ do some of the wriggling around in small, dark spaces. At sixty, his body was beginning to set up a chorus of aching protest after a long day.

"So this circuit runs the lighting," the boy said slowly, pointing. "Then this is the movement, and the brakes are routed through here…" He paused, studying the panel intently.

_Those three-fingered gloves he's wearing are going to make it hard for him to handle the tools,_ thought Jim. _Better just show him around tonight. He can get into the guts of the rides tomorrow. Maybe I'll start him off with the carousel. The ol' girl runs smooth, even after all these years. Best if he learns to appreciate just how the older rides work before he gets too caught up in the new-fangled fail safes. _

The next half-hour was the most pleasant Jim had spent in many years. The boy's knowledge had some gaps, but Jim happily filled them in. It was a real treat, talking to someone who understood the intricacies of the mechanics nearly as well as he did himself. Trevor's eyes glazed over when Jim explained the parts he'd need to repair a particular problem with one of the rides. The boy's expression practically shone with interest and understanding.

He got so involved in the engineering, he didn't even notice when Jim, leaning forward to point out a small switch below one of the circuit arrays, laid a hand on his shoulder. He didn't hear Jim's breathing hitch, didn't notice the alarm that jolted through the man at the feel of _living_ flesh under what he'd assumed was painted vinyl and foam, until Jim straightened and backed away, fumbling for the door.

"What… what the hell _are_ you, Donatello?" Jim muttered. The Turtle straightened, turning, reaching instinctively for the long wooden staff propped in the corner.

"It's just a costume," he said soothingly, but his eyes darted nervously toward the door, his hand hovering near the staff.

"I been a carny for over forty years. I know costumes, and _that_ ain't no _costume_." Jim pressed himself against the door, his hand stilled on the knob. He saw the way the Turtle's muscles bunched, and knew he'd never get out the door before the thing would be upon him.

Donatello was watching him, tension showing clearly in the set of his shoulders, but he didn't attack. If anything, his brown-eyed gaze was wary, worried.

"Listen, I don't mean anyone any harm," he said. Slowly, he took his hand away from the staff, which Jim realized now was some kind of weapon, and held both hands out in a calming gesture. "I was just curious about how the rides work, that's all. Why don't I just go? You can pretend you never saw me."

"What… where did you _come_ from?"

"Not around here." Donatello shook his head. His confidence was returning. Jim could see the fear abating, the intelligent brown eyes watching him, thoughts turning behind them. The Turtle was wary but there was something else, something like… compassion. He hoped it didn't mean Donatello meant to kill him, to stop him from revealing his secret to anyone else. He had no illusions about what the creature could be capable of, with that musculature. He had more than enough strength, Jim was sure, to dispatch one old man with his bare hands, if he so chose.

"Listen, we… we just wanted a night at the park. Like… like anyone, you know?" Donatello gave Jim a rather lopsided grin. "My wife thought it was a bad idea at first, but Mikey…"

"Your… wife? There's more of you?" Jim began to relax marginally. Curiosity was slowly replacing shock.

"She's human," he said quietly. "I just wanted her to have a good time. I wanted her to be able to go out and have fun. This is the only night of the year it's possible. Please try to understand, Jim."

Slowly, Jim nodded, taking his hand away from the door. "How'd you get to know about engineering?"

Donatello's grin returned, though sheepishly. "I'm self-taught mostly," he said.

Jim stared. "No kiddin'?"

"Most colleges won't let me through the doors," said Donatello. "But there are correspondence courses. And the internet…"

Jim snorted. He'd never had much use for the new-fangled, tangled-up world wide web, but suddenly he could see the benefit for something… some _one_, like Donatello, for whom the world must be a dangerous place indeed. As a carny, Jim knew how people treated those who were different. The Beast Boy of Borneo'd had rocks and half-empty beer cans thrown at him on stage, and endured the shouts suggesting the Beast be put down, or at least chained up or dissected. He looked at Donatello again and barely suppressed a shudder.

"So, you'd just walk outta here?"

"Jim, if I were going to hurt you, don't you think I would have already?" asked Donatello reasonably.

The last of Jim's nerves dissolved into a laugh. "I guess so. Damn. I was getting to like you, Donatello. Figured my new intern actually had some potential."

For an instant, something like longing crossed Don's features as his gaze turned back to the panel. "I appreciate what you showed me," he said quietly. "The way these rides work is fascinating. I'm glad I got to meet you, Mr. Morrisey."

"I told you, call me Jim," said the man, holding out his hand.

Donatello froze, staring uncertainly at the proffered appendage for an instant before his large green hand closed over Jim's. Jim suppressed a shudder at the warm-leather feel of the hand shaking his. The controlled strength in that hand felt surreal.

"I'm glad I got to meet you too, Donatello," he said sincerely. "Now, why don't you get outta here before my boss catches me teachin' a giant Turtle how his rides work?" He grinned.

_Or lettin' him go with my blessing to run around the park… Trevor'd have a meltdown for sure. But I got a good feeling about this kid. _

Don nodded, and Jim moved away from the door as he picked up his staff. Jim tensed for an instant when Donatello raised it, but he flipped it neatly over his shoulder, sliding it down along his shell. It seemed to stick, and Jim realized he was wearing it in some sort of leather holder.

"Listen, Donatello," said Jim hesitantly. "You… you and your wife, you don't hafta leave, ok? I ain't gonna say anything. If you wanna stay and enjoy the park… well, I know what the tickets cost to get in here. I ain't gonna rat you out. You should show her a good time."

"I… I don't know, Jim. My family and I… well, we're pretty careful," said Don slowly. "It's not that I don't trust you, I just…"

"I know. Listen." The man gathered his courage and laid a hand on the Turtle's shoulder, pretending not to notice the way he flinched slightly. "I've been in the carnival business a long time. I've seen a lot of things, but there's one thing I know. You've got to live in the time you're given. This might be your only chance to come here with your wife. I get that, and I'm not about to do anything to spoil it for you. Go. Enjoy yourself. Just be careful, ok?"

"How do I know I can trust you?" Donatello was watching him.

"You don't know. I don't know you won't go outta here and summon your spaceship to attack the earth." Jim grinned. "Sometimes you've just gotta take a chance on people."

Donatello nodded. "You're right, Jim. Thanks. I appreciate it."

Jim patted the boy's shoulder, no longer put off by the odd feel of his skin. _Amazing how fast you get used to it._

"Go on, Kid. Get outta here. You're late for your break," he said with a grin.

Don nodded. He slipped out through the door and, with a quick glance around, vanished into the shadows.

Jim blinked and rubbed his eyes. He stared, uncertain now that the entire exchange hadn't been a dream. Only the warmth still clinging to his palm felt real.

He shook his head, closing the door carefully behind him, and went back with a sigh to his checklist.

_Good luck, Kid. I hope you have a good night. Everybody deserves it once in a while._


	4. Chapter 4 Plans

**A/N: Ok... guys, when you read this (I KNOW you will, _Donatello_, so quit pretending you don't hack my files...) IT's ALL ANDREA'S FAULT. Just keep that in mind. **

***snicker***

**

* * *

****_~Plans~_**

"All right, Ann, what gives?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," muttered Ann, avoiding Austin's piercing stare.

"Pft. You can't lie to a ninja, Ann," scolded Austin. "You've been quiet and withdrawn ever since you came back from the tram-ride. What'd Raph do now?"

"Nothing…"

Beverly put her hand on Ann's shoulder.

"She's right, Ann. We both know Raph better than that. What's wrong?"

"He just… wanted to go back on the roller-coasters," admitted Ann. "It's silly for me to be upset. Of course the boys want to ride. That's what we're here for, right?"

"We're here to have a good time with our husbands," said Beverly firmly. "We don't have to spend every moment with them, but it's not like Raph hasn't ridden every coaster at least twice."

"He's an adrenaline junkie, just like Mikey," said Austin sympathetically.

"I know." Ann sighed. "It's not that I don't want him to go on the rides. I sure don't need to be hanging on his arm every minute, I just… I want him to pay attention to _me._" She laughed mirthlessly. "I guess after five years, he's bound to get bored."

"Raphael is not the kind of man who gets _bored_." Austin shook her head. "He just needs you to shake things up now and then." A slow grin grew. "Come on, girls. I saw a costume shop on the way in, and I've got an idea."

_Uh oh. I know that look,_ thought Ann. _Mike's not the only mischievous one in this family._

"What exactly do you have in mind, Austin?"

"Oh, nothing much. Just something to help get your husband's blood pumping."

Ann exchanged a glance with Beverly. Bev just shrugged.

"How bad can it be?" she asked.

"Oh, come on, Ann, it'll be fun, I promise." Austin caught her hand, practically dragging her along.

Ann's eyes widened slightly when she looked around the shop Austin'd brought them to. The racks were full of garish-colored costumes. Some were huge, like the enormous silver Hershey's Kiss with brown sleeves and leggings sticking out, or the giant Reeses Peanut Butter Cup package. Ann shook her head.

"I am _not_ dressing up as a great big candy bar," she announced. "Mikey'd probably try to eat me."

Austin giggled like a little girl. "No, silly. Check _this_ out."

She led them further into the store. Ann's eyebrows went up and a slow grin slid across her face.

"You want us to wear _these_?"

"Yep."

Beverly was already shaking her head. "I'm not going out in _that_." She fingered a bit of gold tulle.

"Sure you are. Look, this one goes _so _well with your hair. And we'll find something for Sierra, too. Ooooooh, this one's _perfect,_" said Austin, diving into a rack of costumes.

Ann laughed at the woman's enthusiasm, her funk dissipating like fog in the morning sun.

"The guys _have_ been a little distracted tonight," she said to Beverly. "I mean, really. They're such _boys, _taking off on the rides like that. And do I have to mention Donny's obsession with mechanics?"

Beverly looked thoughtful, reaching out to touch the tulle again. "It _would_ be fun to… distract him a little," she said.

Austin looked up from her quest as Bev selected a costume, holding it up.

"Oh, Bev!" she squealed. "You're gonna give him a heart attack!"

"Hey, maybe we should go get Sierra," suggested Ann. "Do you think we can pry her away from Leo?"

Beverly snorted. "I don't know. The honeymoon's not over for those two."

"I'll call her," said Ann, ignoring the slight pang brought on by Beverly's comment. _I hope it's not over for Raph and I, either. _

"We should include her. She's one of us, after all."

"You're right, Ann. She's been kind of… insecure. She needs to be one of the girls too," said Austin with a grin.

Ann dialed her shell-cell.

"Hi, Sierra? It's Ann. Hey, can you meet us at the shop near Storm Runner?"

"Umm, I guess_,_" Sierra sounded slightly hesitant. Ann heard her asking Leonardo if he minded, and rolled her eyes.

"Sierra, Leo is not going to mind. Trust me."

"He says it's fine," the woman answered. "We'll meet you there. Where are the others?"

"Austin and Bev are right here. Mikey and Raph went to ride the coaster again. Donny's…" Bev shot her a look, shaking her head.

"_Don't tell Leo_," she hissed.

"Umm he's around somewhere."

"Ok. We'll meet you in a few minutes. Leo says he wants to ride the Super Duper Looper anyway." Sierra giggled. "_Stop that_, Leo," she muttered.

_Hmm Raph's not the only Turtle who's addicted to the rides. Well, we'll see what _else_ we can get them excited about._

"Great. See you in a few minutes."

She slipped her shell-cell back into her pocket. "They're on their way over."

"Cool. Oooooooh, this is it! This is the one!" Austin held up a costume. "What do you think? With Sierra's dancer's body…"

Ann stared, her mouth dropping open. "_Austin!_"

"What, it's cute!" Austin's innocent tone was belied by the laughter in her eyes.

"It _is _cute," said Beverly, holding up another costume. "Hmmm I like _this _one."

Ann took one look and shook her head. "You guys are terrible!"

"Oh, just wait 'til Raph gets a load of _you_," answered Austin mischievously. "He won't want to ride any more roller coasters tonight."

"Do you think Sierra will be ok with this?" asked Bev suddenly. "I mean, she's kind of religious…"

"She's religious, not uptight," said Austin seriously. "Besides, no one's going to force her to dress up. If she doesn't want to, she'll say so."

"I guess." Beverly sounded uncertain. "I just don't want to offend her." She looked down at the costume she was holding again. "I mean, these are kind of…"

Ann shook her head. "Sierra's a dancer, Bev. She's worn stuff like that on stage. I'm sure it'll be fine. Besides, Austin's right. It's up to her if she wants in."

"In on what?"

The soft voice startled Ann so badly she spun, taking an instinctively defensive crouch.

"Hi Ann."

Ann stared. Sierra was holding a _huge_ stuffed turtle sporting a gaudy blue hat.

"Well," she drawled. "It looks like you two had fun on the midway."

"We did." Sierra chuckled. "You should've seen the look on the attendant's face when Leo knocked the bottles down. The games are rigged."

"Of course they are. That's how the parks make their money," said Ann, shrugging.

"Well, they can't beat a ninja."

"That's for sure." Austin came around a rack, capturing Sierra in a one-armed hug. "Hey, Sis. How about we get a Halloween treat for that husband of yours?"

"…Oooo-K?" Sierra looked from Austin to Beverly to Ann. "What exactly did you have in mind?"

"I've got just the thing." Austin let her go and pulled a costume from the rack with a flourish.

Sierra stared, and Ann saw red creeping up her cheeks. "Austin!"

"What? It's cute." Austin looked critically at the scrap of red fabric. "Ok, maybe we can find something in _blue_." She hung the costume back on the rack and dove back in.

Sierra looked a little wildly at Ann. "What on earth are you girls up to?"

"We're making sure the boys remember what the _real_ attractions are around here," drawled Ann.

Understanding dawned in Sierra's eyes. She giggled. "Sounds like fun." She sauntered to the rack and chose a hanger. "What do you think of _this_ one?"

Ann stared. "Sierra!"

"What?"

Ann shook her head, and grinned. "You're gonna fit in just fine."


	5. Chapter 5 Busting Mikey

**_~Busting Mikey~_**

"Hey, Mister, nice costume."

Michelangelo jerked slightly when a small hand brushed his thigh. He'd been so intent on getting to the gate before the next round of the Lighting and Thunder racing roller-coasters started, he'd momentarily lost track of his surroundings.

_Way to use those ninja skills, Mikey,_ he mentally scolded himself. _All the Foot would have to do is hire a buncha little kids to sneak up on us, and I'd be toast._

"Uh, thanks," he muttered, edging away from the child. He paused for a moment. The kid's skin was almost translucent, his brown eyes seemed too large for his thin face. The boy was frowning.

"That don't feel like a costume," he said. "You sure you're not a _real_ Turtle?"

"I'm sure, Kid." Michelangelo tried to hide his nervousness behind his most charming smile. "This is Halloween, right?"

The boy cocked his head as if trying to figure Mikey out. "Yeah."

"Oh good. I was scared I got the date wrong and dressed up like a Turtle on some _other_ night."

"That's silly. Why would you wanna dress up like a Turtle?"

"Dude, don'tcha recognize the costume?" Mikey struck a pose. "I'm the Turtle Titan! Defender of the universe."

The boy shook his head. "Never heard of 'im," he said. "It's still a cool costume, though."

Michelangelo staggered back a step, throwing an arm theatrically across his chest. "Never heard of the Turtle Titan? He's only the best super-hero _ever_. I mean, the Silver Sentry's practically his side-kick. He hangs out with the Justice Force. He's like… he's the guy the other superheroes look up to and say 'Gee, I wish I could be like him some day…'"

The kid was laughing now.

"I like you," he said. "You're funny. What's your name anyway?" His breathing was too fast and shallow, and before Mikey could answer, he started to cough, doubling over with the violence of the spasms racking his body.

"Hey. Hey, Kid, are you ok?" Mike knelt, reaching out to steady the boy with one hand on his shoulder.

"M… my _cough_ name's _cough cough_ not 'Kid'. It's _cough_ Ricky."

"I'm Michelangelo. Hey, Ricky, you need to slow down ok? Just try to take slow breaths. I'll… I'll get ya a drink 'r somethin'…"

"Wait… _cough_ don't go…" Ricky caught Michelangelo's arm just above his wrist band. "My… inhaler… _cough_ in… bag…" His lungs wheezed with the effort to draw in air.

Mikey stared at the kid, at a loss for a moment, before noticing a small backpack strapped onto his back. Ricky was struggling to pull it off. Michelangelo reached around and grasped the pack, drawing it backward off the boy's shoulders. The boy nodded his thanks, still gasping, and fumbled with the zipper.

Michelangelo opened the bag and the kid reached in, drawing out a small purple disc. He put it in his mouth and squeezed, drawing in a deep slow breath. He repeated the process twice more before the frighteningly violent fit slowed and his breathing deepened and evened out. The boy sank to the ground.

Michelangelo was at his side in an instant, alarmed.

"Ricky! Ricky, stay with me now. You're gonna be ok. I'll get help."

"No. It's… ok." The boy managed a smile. "I'll be ok. Just… give me a minute."

Michelangelo stayed kneeling beside Ricky until his breathing was almost normal again. He could still hear a faint wheeze from the boy's chest, but the awful coughing at least had subsided.

"Sorry." Ricky glanced up at Michelangelo apologetically. "I'm not suppos'd to get excited," he explained. "If I laugh too hard or get mad or anything, sometimes I have an attack."

"You ok now, little Dude?" asked Mike, still uncertain. "You sure you don't need like a doctor or something?" He glanced around as if a medical professional might appear out of thin air.

"Nah, I'm ok. Really. I got asthma. I've had it since I was a little kid."

"Really?" Michelangelo sat down next to the boy. "Man, that's gotta suck. I mean, me an' my bros, we're pretty active, ya know? I can't imagine not being able to run an' stuff."

"I can't imagine being _able_ to run," said Ricky wistfully. "What's it like?"

"What's what like, Micro-dude?" asked Mikey, confused.

"Running." Ricky was watching him intently. "I mean, what's it _feel _like, just running?"

"It's… it's amazing," said Mike slowly. Part of him couldn't believe he was having this conversation with the kid. Another part of him couldn't just walk away without answering. "It's the best feeling… it's like flying."

Ricky sighed. "It sounds great."

"Ricky!" A voice had Mike's head snapping up. He was on his feet and backing away before the dark-haired woman ran up, dropping to her knees at Ricky's side.

"I'm ok, Mom."

She paid the boy no mind, taking his face in her hands and peering into his eyes. "Where have you _been?_ I've been all over the park looking for you. How could you take off on me like that?"

"I just wanted to see the roller coaster, Mom. I'm ok."

"You had an attack, didn't you?"

"I'm _ok_, Mom, really. The guy in the Turtle Titan costume helped me…"

The woman looked around. "What guy?"

"He was here a second ago… he was wearin' the coolest Turtle costume I ever saw," Ricky stared into the dark, but Michelangelo had disappeared into the deeper shadows where he remained hidden, watching to be sure the kid was ok.

_Sorry, Kid,_ he thought. _It's bad enough I talked to _you. _If Leo knew, he'd have a fit. I can't risk meetin' your mom, too._

"Well, you're gonna take a rest back at the hotel. I knew this was a bad idea," scolded the woman.

It was all Michelangelo could do not to roll his eyes. _Shell, she sounds just like Leo. I guess she's just worried about the little dude. I would be too. Those attacks are pretty scary._

"No, Ma, I wanna see the costume contest!" protested Ricky. "I'll take it easy, I promise. I gotta see the contest. Please, Ma?"

The woman looked into her son's pleading eyes. Finally she nodded.

"All right. But you gotta take it easy."

"Thanks, Ma."

Mikey smiled, slipping away into the darker shadows, just outside the edge of the lights. _He'll be ok now._

_

* * *

_He found Austin just coming out of the shop, a large bag in her hand and a smirk firmly fixed on her face. _Hmmm, _thought Mike. _Wonder what she's up to?_

She jumped when he sidled up to her, sliding a strong green arm around her waist and nuzzling her ear.

"Hey, Babe. Didja miss me?" Mikey grinned.

"Mike! Where have you _been_? The girls and I were ready to send out a search party," scolded Austin. "When you guys said you were going to go another round on the coaster, I didn't think you meant to disappear for almost two hours! Where's Raphael?"

"Aww, sorry Babe. Kinda lost track of time." Michelangelo gave his wife a grin. "Raph was getting kinda antsy, so he went off on his own for a bit. Where're the others?"

"Ann's feeling sick again." Austin made a face. "She was shopping with us, but the chocolate smell they pipe in got to her so Bev took her over to the restrooms. Sierra went with them. The poor thing. I think she shouldn't have gone on the roller coaster so many times in a row. Raph picked a lousy time to disappear. And Leo's off looking for Don. He didn't answer his shell-cell."

"Aw, don't worry, Babe. How much trouble can they get into? It's an amusement park, an' it's Halloween." Mikey gave a friendly wave and a grin to a teenage girl who passed by, staring. "See?"

Austin punched his shoulder lightly. "Well the girls and I are beginning to feel a little bit neglected," she told him.

"Aww, sorry, Babe. It's just exciting for us, you know? It's not every day we get to wander around in public."

Mikey watched appreciatively as a young woman sauntered by in a body-hugging cat suit. Being married to Austin had given him a finer appreciation for the female version of human anatomy.

"I'm going to go check on the other girls and change into _my_ costume," said Austin. Something in her tone made Mikey turn. She was giving him an icy stare.

_Oops. Guess she saw me lookin' at that other girl,_ thought Mike. He gave her a sheepish grin.

"Aww, you know you're the only ninja for me, Babe."

She snorted, shaking her head. "Just wait here, will you? We all bought costumes in there," she gestured toward the store she'd just come out of. "After we change, and find your brothers, we can all head over to the concessions to get something to eat."

"Sounds like a plan." Mikey grinned.

Austin and the others had opted not to wear costumes, laughing and saying the boys' natural appearance was spirited enough to complete anyone's Halloween. Mike was glad to hear the girls had changed their minds. Halloween had always been one of his favorite holidays, and it was fun, having the girls get into the spirit, too.

Austin gave him an impish grin. "I guarantee you won't be ignoring _us_ for the rest of the night," she told him.

Before Mikey could ask what on earth she meant, she turned on her heel and disappeared toward the restrooms.

_Uh oh. Sounds like the girls got something up their sleeves,_ he thought, watching her walk away. He grinned, heading toward a bench to sit down and wait. _Whatever it is, bring it on, Babe. I can handle it. I'm the Battle Nexus Champion after all. _


	6. Chapter 6 Falling

**A/N: Ah, now the fun begins. **

**

* * *

**_**~Falling**_~

Donatello moved carefully through the crowd, searching for his brothers.

_Where are you, Raph?_ He wondered. His phone buzzed on his belt. He glanced at the screen with a faint groan, but tucked it back into his belt without answering. Leonardo had a way of scenting trouble.

_If I tell Fearless I'm busted, he'll want to leave for sure. The girls are having so much fun, and Mike and Raph too… I can't spoil it for them. Raph'll know how to handle this. He can help me talk Leo into staying a little longer. Jim won't turn us in, I know it.  
_

Raphael wasn't answering his shell-cell either, but that wasn't unusual. Half the time he forgot to charge it, or managed to lose or break the little device. Don had built him a reinforced casing, which helped minimize damage, but didn't make Raphael any more likely to answer his phone if he didn't feel like it.

_I wonder if I can design something that gives him a shock if he doesn't pick up after so many rings?_ thought Don. _Like those collars that they put on dogs. I guess not. Even if he'd let me install something like that, he'd just stop carrying the phone all together. _

Spotting a flash of red near the Ferris Wheel, Donatello headed in that direction. He had only a slim hope of finding his brother. A ninja who doesn't want to be found is the hardest thing in the world to trace.

"Raph! Hey, Raph," Donatello called out.

A break in the crowd showed him a flash of dark green and brown. As he drew closer, Don saw Raph make a shushing gesture with his hand. His tense stance and focus told Don he was up to something. Hurrying over, Don scanned the area Raph was staring toward, but saw nothing more unusual than a young man in a staffer's uniform rounding the fence Don had scaled just before meeting Jim Morrisey.

"What's up?" he asked softly.

"Dat kid," Raphael's narrow amber eyes were glued to the teenager. "Somet'in ain't right, Donny. I got a bad feelin' about dat kid. I followed 'im down here. He went in dat door there," he gestured. "Some ol' guy went in right after, but he ain't come out yet."

"Jim," said Donatello, nodding. "The park's Safety Engineer. The kid must be the new intern."

He realized his mistake an instant later when Raph's burning amber gaze turned on _him._

"Spill, Genius."

"I… um… well…" Don rubbed the back of his neck with one hand.

Raphael's eyes narrowed. "Donatello…"

"Ok, ok. I… I wanted to see how things work, ok? I… I broke into the control rooms on a couple of the rides. Just checking things out. I was _careful_ Raph."

Raphael was nodding. "I know, Donny. But what about dis ol' guy?"

"He… he busted me," admitted Don, feeling the heat burn his cheeks. "I was looking over the controls for the Ferris Wheel when he came in to do his checks. He thought I was the new intern."

"An' what does he t'ink ya are now?" asked Raph pointedly.

Don sighed. He never could hide anything from his brothers. "He knows. But it's ok, Raph, honestly. He's a decent guy. I was looking for you guys… I guess Leo'll want to get out of here." He ducked his head, ashamed. "Sorry, Bro."

Whatever Raphael would've said was cut off by a sudden rumbling _groan_ of metal, followed closely by shrieks.

Donatello drew his bo instinctively and Raphael's hands went to his belt for the sai that weren't there. Around them, people were pointing, gaping; their mouths open with shock and horror. No one was looking at the two mutated ninjas, however. They were staring at the Ferris Wheel.

A sense of unreality overtook Donatello as he watched the massive structure shift. It happened in incredibly slow motion, but the ride was definitely tipping, listing to one side. The movement stopped, but the screams from the terrified riders and people in the crowd went on.

"Take it easy, folks, just take it easy," called the attendant. His voice was calm, but his hands moved frantically over the controls. "We're going to have Park Security here in just a moment. Everyone just stay calm, and we'll get you off the ride as soon as possible. Please remain seated."

"Donny, we gotta _move_, said Raph suddenly, grasping his brother's arm. "We can't be here."

"But Raph, I…"

"Now, Donatello." Raphael practically dragged him back, away from the gathering crowd. "There ain't not'in we can do they ain't already doin'," he muttered. "Come on. We gotta find Fearless an' Mikey an' get outta here."

Behind them, a woman in the crowd was screaming. "Ricky! Ricky! My baby… he's stuck up there. You've got to get him down… Ricky!"

Finding Leonardo and Michelangelo proved an easy task. They came running up as Raph and Don were dodging park-goers rushing to the scene of the accident. Men in security shirts were hurrying to disperse the crowd, shouting calm orders into megaphones.

"We need to clear the area. Please, folks, clear the area. The fire department is on its way. Please move out of the area…"

The chaos was growing, but Don had to admire the control the staff was taking of the situation.

"Don! Raph! What the shell happened?" Leo demanded.

"Somet'in wit' da Ferris Wheel, Fearless," answered Raph. "Me an' Donny were jus' comin' ta look fer ya. We shouldn't be here wit' dis crowd."

"You're right. It's time to go."

"Awww," complained Mikey. "I wanted to ride…"

"Sorry, Mike," said Leo quickly, cutting off his whine. "It's not safe."

"_Ricky! _My baby! Get him down!" shrieked the woman again.

"Wait, did that chick say _Ricky's _on the Ferris Wheel? Oh, shell! That's the little dude's mom!" Mikey was staring toward the broken ride with frozen horror.

"What? Mikey, who's Ricky?" asked Leonardo, confused and annoyed.

"A little dude I met before. Leo, he has _asthma_. If he gets excited an' stuff, he can't breathe. He had an attack when I was talkin' to him…"

"I'm sure the staff can handle it," said Leonardo, but his gaze turned toward the Ferris Wheel. The woman was sobbing now, they could hear her clearly over the shouts of the security staff. A man in a brown shirt was leading her away from the crowd.

"Leo, if the boy has severe asthma, this could be really bad," said Donatello. "A second attack in a short time could even be fatal."

Another loud groaning of metal, and the chorus of screams from the riders grew louder.

"They're not gonna get dem people down in time, Fearless. We gotta do somet'in," said Raph.

"Raph, I don't think…"

"Leo, we've gotta help them. The little dude's up there," pleaded Mike.

"They're right, Leo," interjected Don. "We can't just walk away."

"The risk of exposure…"

"Leo." Donatello met his brother's eyes steadily. "I can cut the lights. You three can climb up and at least stabilize things until the fire department can get here and get those people down."

Leonardo glanced toward the crowd the security personnel were still trying to break up.

"I don't know what we can do about stabilizing the ride," he said finally. "But we can at least offer some assistance. Come on, let's get a closer look." He held up one hand before Michelangelo, who was practically dancing with worry, could take off. "Be _careful_. Don't forget, we're _ninja_. We can't be seen."

"You got it, Fearless." Raphael moved into the darker shadows, followed closely by Michelangelo.

"Can you really shut down the lights, Donny?" Leonardo asked.

"I can. I was checking out the controls earlier. I can get into the panel and shut them down at the main breaker."

Leo nodded. "All right. I'll call Sierra and tell the girls to wait for us. As soon as we're done here, we'll need to get out of here. We can't risk getting caught."

"Ok. Good luck, Bro." Don held his fist up for his brother to bump before Leo disappeared after Mikey and Raph into the shadows. Donatello hurried toward the main control panel, Raphael's words ringing in his memory.

'_Some ol' guy went in right after, but he ain't come out yet._' Don's hands shook slightly as he hopped the fence and quickly picked the simple lock on the door. _No way would Jim still be in the control room with a ride failure going on. He'd be out there, helping, or at least telling them what to do. Safety's his job. With an accident happening, no way would he be missing in action. _

He shoved the door open and peered into the dim little room.

"Mr. Morrisey? Jim?"

A faint groan got his attention, and Donny rushed forward. Jim Morrisey was propped in a corner. Blood trickled from a gash on his head. His eyes flickered as Don knelt beside him.

"Jim!" Donatello grabbed the man's hand, feeling frantically for a pulse.

The old man jerked his arm away, his eyes going wide. "What the…" he yelped, and groaned again, grabbing his head. "What happened…"

"Jim, listen to me. I'm Donatello, remember?"

"Don… Donatello. My new intern." Jim managed a smile, before a scowl scrunched his face. "The intern!" he swore. "That kid… He's going to sabotage the ride!" The man struggled to sit up, but sank back with another groan.

"Jim, listen to me. The Ferris Wheel is tilting. I've got to get the lights off. My brothers are going to get the people off, but they need to work in darkness. Can you help me?"

"Tilting…" Jim swore again. "The stabilizers. He's damaged them somehow… There are cables… they'll hold for a while, but if he damaged them too…"

"The lights, Jim," insisted Donatello. He was beginning to feel frantic. _If the support cables go, the whole thing will go over. _"How do I turn off the lights?"

"Third switch on the left."

Don shot to the box, flipping the switch Jim indicated. The increased volume of shouting outside told him the lights had gone out.

"Get the emergencies, too, or they'll kick on automatically. That little switch on the bottom. The black, not the red," said Jim, pointing. His voice was growing stronger.

"Ok, got it. I've got to go help the others. Will you be all right?"

"I will be, I think so," said Jim. He'd managed to get to his feet, but he leaned against the wall. "Donatello, if that kid did something to the cables, you don't have much time. Only three cars had passengers. It's always slow this time of night, because of the costume contest and parade going on…"

"Can you tell the security guys, Jim? Get the people away before the ride falls into the crowd," said Donatello urgently.

"I can do that." Jim straightened. "Donatello… get those people down. Please. I… I can't… This can't be happening. Not on my watch. I'm not losing anyone else. Especially not to some punk kid."

"I won't let them fall, Jim," said Don quietly. He grasped the man's shoulder. "Take care of yourself."

"You too," he heard Jim mutter as he dashed out the door.


	7. Chapter 7 Finale

**A/N: Yeah, I know, that last was a bit evil of me, hmm? Sorry. lol You didn't REALLY expect to get through an entire fic without a cliffhanger, did you?**

**Hope today's chapter makes up for it. :)**

**

* * *

**

_**~Finale~**_

Leonardo had to run to catch up with his youngest brother. Mikey sprinted toward the ride. Only Raphael, grabbing his shoulder and dragging him bodily back, kept him from rushing in.

"Hold it, shell-head, we gotta wait fer Donny," Raph hissed.

Michelangelo squirmed away, his eyes glued to a car about a third of the way up the far side of the Ferris Wheel.

"I see him. We gotta get him down, Raph. He's sick."

Leonardo followed his brother's gaze, his eyes narrowing as he saw the car swaying slightly. A young boy poked his head over the edge, waving frantically. Leo saw him fumble with something, holding it to his mouth, before he doubled over, obviously in the throes of a coughing fit. The car swayed precariously. Mikey took a step toward the ride, but Raph grabbed his arm.

"Fearless," Raphael hissed, pointing. "Dat's da guy Donny an' me saw earlier. What da shell's he doin' back there?"

"I don't know, Raph," whispered Leo. Calculations were turning in his mind as he gauged their chances of getting up the Ferris Wheel, carrying down hysterical humans, and escaping before the park staff or security got a good look at them. The odds were not looking good.

Still, he couldn't ignore the worry in his brother's expression as Mikey gazed up at the car where the little boy was once more leaning over the side, his hand firmly to his mouth.

"He's got his inhaler," muttered Mike.

"Leo, I'm goin' after dat kid."

"Raph, the lights…"

"Ain't nobody gonna see me back here, Fearless. I'll stop 'im 'fore he does anymore damage." Raphael was already fading into the darkness behind the ride platform.

"Leo, we gotta get Ricky." Michelangelo looked at him with pleading eyes.

"You're right, Mikey, we've just got to wait for…" Before Leonardo could finish, they were plunged into absolute darkness. Several people screamed.

"Ha! Donny got the lights. Let's _go_, Leo." Michelangelo was off before Leonardo could protest, scaling the edge of the ride platform.

Leonardo saw with relief that the attendant, frantically fiddling with switches inside the small control hut at the ride's base, didn't notice the large, bi-pedal Turtle climbing carefully up the side of the structure.

He heard the boy let out a wheezing squeal, as he scrambled to catch up with his brother.

"It's ok, Micro-Dude," soothed Mikey. "It's just me, Turtle Titan, remember? I'm gonna get you down."

"How?" the boy managed between gasps.

"You've gotta be really brave now, Ricky," said Mikey. "Put your arms around my neck and hold on, ok? I won't let you fall, I promise, but you can't freak out on me, ok little Dude?"

"Ok… Michelangelo…" wheezed the boy. Leo heard rustling as the Michelangelo got the boy positioned and started down.

_Can't hang around here all night,_ thought Leo, climbing up to the next car. A young woman cowered, clinging to the pole in the center of the gondola.

"Hey. I'm here to help you, ok," said Leo softly.

"Who's there?" Her voice was high with panic.

"It's ok. I can get you down, but you're going to have to trust me, ok?"

"Who are you?" The woman asked. "_Where_ are you? I can't see!"

"I know. The lights have been damaged," said Leo calmly. "Listen, you're going to be ok. I'm… I'm wearing some special gear, so don't freak out, ok? Just stand up. You can hold on to me, and we'll climb down together."

"I can't!" She clung tighter to the pole.

Leonardo stepped lightly down into the car. It swayed slightly, and she screamed.

"Listen. We can't stay here," he told her reasonably. "I can help you get down. You don't want to stay here, right?"

"N..n…no."

Finally she released her death-grip on the pole, shrieking again as she touched his shell. "What _is_ that?"

"I told you, it's special protective gear. Now, just hold on."

Her arms came around his neck, nearly strangling him.

"Easy, now. I have to breathe," he told her gently. He heard a nervous giggle near his ear and nodded as her grip loosened slightly. "Now, close your eyes. I'm going to get you down, ok?"

"Ok."

Leo climbed carefully out of the car, gripping the support beam and easing his way down. The climb was nothing to a trained ninja who'd spent his life scaling the fire escapes of New York. Soon he hopped to the ground, setting the woman down. When she felt her feet touch solid ground, she finally released him, sinking down until she was sitting. Leo felt it prudent to disappear before she could ask too many questions. He turned back toward the ride, only to find Raphael hopping lightly to the ground with two youngsters under his arms. He set them down and they collapsed much as the girl had. Leo wasn't certain if they were conscious or not, but at least they were safely on the ground.

"C'mon, Fearless. We gotta get outta here."

"Where's Mikey?"

"Aw, shell, he's over there, the chuckle-head."

Leo turned, and felt his heart fall into his stomach. Mikey was moving swiftly along the outer edge of the crowd, the boy cradled to his chest. Leonardo wasted no time in heading toward his brother. He could hear the boy's wheezing as he approached.

"Take it easy, ok Ricky?" said Mike.

"You… really… are… him, huh?" the kid managed. "Turtle… Titan."

"You got it. It's gotta be our little secret though, ok? Nobody can know I'm the _real_ Turtle Titan, or they'll be mobbin' me for autographs and stuff."

"O…K… Michel…angelo."

Leo stopped as his brother stepped out of the shadows into the edge of the light glowing faintly from the midway. A dark-haired woman rushed toward him, and Mikey held the boy out to her.

"He's gonna be ok," Leo heard him reassure her.

The woman scooped the boy to her chest, burying her face in his shoulder.

"Mike, what're you _doing?_" hissed Leonardo.

Michelangelo disappeared into the deeper shadows near the ride, but it was too late. Leo saw one of the security guards moving in his direction, staring into the darkness where Michelangelo had vanished.

"Time ta go," Raph muttered from behind Leo. "Let's grab da chuckle-head an' get outta here."

Quickly, they circled the ride, avoiding the guards who were now standing near the ride platform, discussing a search pattern quietly.

"I'm tellin' ya, Joe, I saw that guy in the Turtle costume go this way. I bet he had something to do with this…"

Leo spotted Michelangelo, holed up behind some brush near the fence. He was cut off from his brothers by the guards' position. There was no way for him to escape without revealing himself.

Donatello appeared like a phantom at Leo's elbow. "Did you get everyone out?"

"Everyone but Mikey," said Leo, pointing.

Don's eyes widened behind his mask, and he swore quietly.

"I'll create a distraction," decided Leo. "You guys get Mikey and get out of here. The girls are waiting near the entrance. We'll all meet back at the Battleshell…"

"No, wait, Leo, it's ok," said Don. "Hang on a sec."

Leonardo stared as his brother slipped away toward the ride platform.

"Jim," called Don.

"Donatello, what are you _doing?_" hissed Leonardo as an old man hurried toward his brother.

"It's ok, Leo. Jim! Over here." Donatello waved. Leonardo glanced at Raphael. As one, they took a few steps back, melting into the shadows, hidden from the old man, but close enough to help Don if he needed it.

_I hope you know what you're doing, Donatello_, thought Leo, watching his brother.

"Jim, everyone's safely off the ride."

To Leo's shock, the old man held out his hand for Donatello to shake.

"I can't think you enough, Donatello," he said. "I want you to have something."

Leo saw him pull out his wallet and press something into Don's hand.

"It's a picture… this is my daughter, Lizzie, before she... It… it was a ride failure. Her mom…" Jim cleared his throat. "Her mom died in the accident, and Liz, she's never gonna be the same, but she's all I got left. You saved people tonight, Donatello. You gave people back their lives. I… I wanna thank you. For… for stopping it from happening again. These rides are my responsibility… It woulda been my fault, and… and well, I don't think I could've lived with that."

"It was an honor, Jim," said Donatello quietly. "But now my brothers and I have to get out of here. Can you distract those guards long enough for us to disappear?"

"Whatever you need, Son," said the old man, clapping Don on the shoulder in a friendly manner. Leo blinked.

Donatello jumped, his hand going to his belt. He pulled his shell-cell out.

"Donny. Da kid who caused all dis is unconscious back here. Tell da ol' guy so they can wrap 'im up, an' come _on._ We gotta get outta here."

Leonardo turned to glare at Raphael, who was standing a step behind him, talking quietly into the shell-cell.

He turned back in time to see Donatello nod and flip his own cell closed.

"Jim, that was my brother. The boy who did this is there, behind the ride. He's unconscious. If they hurry, security can still catch him."

Jim nodded decisively. "It was that intern," he said. The kid Trevor hired. He said he was doin' it 'cause Hershey shipped jobs overseas. Don't you worry, Donatello. I'll keep 'em busy. You take care now."

He turned away, heading purposefully toward the security guards. "You! You boys, get over here. We got the perp back here. Better get him contained before he wakes up. Joe, get Trevor on the phone. I've got a word or two for him about his intern!"

A boy dashed up carrying a flashlight. His face was pale in the reflected beam.

"I got that flashlight you wanted, Joe. Mr. Morrisey! I hit the cut-off like you showed me, but the emergency lights never came on. I don't know what I did wrong, Sir…"

Jim nodded. "You did exactly right, Kenny. Seems to me I'm going to need a new intern. You up for the job?"

While the guards were distracted, Donatello hurried back to his brothers. Leonardo swallowed his questions. This wasn't the time. The three skirted the fence quickly. When they reached Mike's hiding place, he gave them a grin as if he hadn't been moments from discovery.

"Let's get outta here, Dudes."

Leonardo nodded, gesturing silently, and the four melted into the crowd.

They moved quickly, weaving smoothly around the people milling around the midway as only native New Yorkers can. Leonardo saw with relief four familiar figures near the entrance to one of the concession stands.

"There're the girls," said Donatello pointing.

"Good. Let's get 'em an' get outta here, 'fore somebody asks da chucklehead here fer 'is autograph," said Raphael, tweaking Mikey's mask tail.

"Hey, the Turtle Titan must look out for his adoring fans," protested Mikey good-naturedly.

Leonardo smiled faintly at his brothers' goofing off. He still intended to have a talk with Donatello, but relief at having pulled off a relatively smooth rescue was the emotion at the forefront of his mind.

As they approached, however, his relief turned to shock. Raphael stopped dead, a few paces away from the girls. Donatello was staring, open mouthed.

"Duuuuuuuuuuude." Michelangelo let out a low whistle.

"Do you like it, honey?" asked Ann innocently. She sauntered up to Raphael, looking exactly as if she'd just stepped out of a seedy wild-west saloon. Leonardo tried not to notice the way the barmaid's red satin top's off-the shoulder design left her creamy shoulders bare. The skirt flared over her hips, the fringe of feathers skimming her thighs, which were encased in translucent red tights. The outfit left plenty to the imagination, while being the most suggestive thing Leonardo had ever seen, outside of television.

Beverly was wearing some sort of nurse's outfit, but she looked like no nurse who'd ever walked the halls of an actual hospital. The tight jacket plunged low, leaving a peek-a-boo slice of skin showing, while not quite revealing cleavage. The short skirt stopped in plenty of time to show her shapely legs to good advantage, skimming her white fishnet stockings alluringly. She'd added a fluffy purple boa around her neck that only enhanced the overall effect.

Donatello was staring. "Bev… I… I…" For once, the genius Turtle seemed to be at a complete loss.

Austin chuckled. "What's the matter, Donny?"

Her outfit was a black leotard that outlined her lean form, covering her torso with a thin lair of faux fur while showing every contour. She'd completed the look with a pair of sassy orange cat's ears. Mikey's grin widened as she came closer, but she paused, looking at Leonardo with the first flash of uncertainty.

Leo hardly noticed. His eyes were full of the angel he knew would haunt his dreams for weeks to come. Sierra smiled shyly, her cheeks turning a faint pink. The low neckline of her white satin top was edged with fluffy feather down. Pale blue ribbon crisscrossed its way down the front, accentuating the shape of her breasts modestly encased in the white satin. The dress continued down over her hips, ending with a satin skirt that moved with her, outlining her legs. His heart beat faster. Below the skirt, silver tights glinted, glittering in the faint lights from the carousel. A matching silver halo circled her dark curls. Sierra reached up, fidgeting nervously with it.

"_Konichiwa,_" she muttered faintly.

Austin looked from Sierra to Leonardo with a slight frown. She took a stance in front of him, her hands on her hips. "Come on, Leo," she scolded. "We were just having a little fun."

He didn't answer. He _couldn't._ He couldn't take his eyes off his wife.

"I don't like it, neither," said Raph, wrapping an arm around Ann's waist and drawing her in.

She squirmed, glaring. "You don't?"

"I don't like ya dressin' like dat out here where other guys can look at ya," growled Raphael, smirking.

Ann scowled. "Well I was hoping _you_ would be looking," she snapped.

"I _am._" He grinned, leaning in to kiss her. Ann melted against him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Donatello finally found his voice. "Bev, I… I um… wow."

Beverly chuckled, her cheeks flushing.

Austin stepped closer to Leonardo who still hadn't spoken.

"Leo, it was _my_ fault," she said quietly. "It was my idea I wanted Sierra to feel like one of us. I practically dragged her…"

Leo swallowed hard, tearing his eyes off his wife for a moment. He stepped forward, catching his startled sister-in-law up in a hug.

"Hey," Mikey yelped. "Get your own girl, Bro!"

Leonardo laughed, letting Austin go. "_Doomo arigato, imouto-chan,"_ he whispered hoarsely. (_Thank you SO much, little sister.)_

Austin stared at him, shocked, for an instant, before she started to laugh.

"You're very welcome, _ani._"

Leonardo approached the heavenly vision that was his wife and held out his arm to her. Sierra smiled and shyly tucked her hand through his elbow. Though his wife was nearly as tall as he was, he felt ten feet tall standing next to her. She was _his_, and he didn't care who knew.

"You look... you're..._utsukushii," _he whispered. "My beautiful _tenshi." (beautiful... angel)_

Donatello, seeming to snap out of his trance, went to Beverly, wrapping an arm around her waist and nuzzling her neck.

"Come on, guys," said Leo softly, his eyes never leaving Sierra's face. "Let's go home."

~*END*~

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**A/N: Well, there you have it. My Halloween one-shot. LOL Nothing's ever simple with these guys, is it? **  
**Thanks, as always to my epic beta-readers and keepers of the sanity: Melody Winters, Fair Drea, Duckie Pray. You gals rock out loud.**

**And thanks to the reviewers, who made this even more fun to share:**

**DuckiePray for knowing what just what Sierra wanted ;), and for bringing them home safely no matter how far they may roam. (Readers- Duckie's "Resolution" is coming soon! it will make you go O.O)  
Peachy-Keen- for invoking Murphy's Law  
Silverdragonstar- for such a nice review! :)  
Reinbeauchaser- for warming up to the pairings  
ZathuraRoy- for being addicted ;)  
mariarosa- for puppy-dog eyes ;)  
Leonardo Mystic- for being envious of Sierra (Amen, Sister! Me too!)  
LilNinjaWolf- for thinking it was funny to see Mikey scream like a girl  
missingthepoint- for loving this :)  
sabra jaguar- for thinking Leo would be good at the shell game LOL  
Pinguin1993- for finding time to read, and for a nice A/N mention that made me blush! Aww, ty!  
Fair too lazy to sign in Drea- For making me LOL, and for suggesting the girls' bit of mischief, and for... well just for everything. Love ya, Girl.  
MelodyWinters- for finishing her EPIC Splinter fic, which I got to read while it's in progress. :D Can not WAIT to see this one being posted! hugs I love bein' a beta. :)  
TigerToa- for thinking Sierra has good taste :)  
BlackShuriken- for reviewing  
Laughter's Tears- for a nice review  
Shijimi for reviewing (btw, Shijimi, if you read this, Raph's accent is from Brooklyn)  
Connie Nervegas- for liking little kids who sneak up on Mikey *snicker* and for epic tales of Turtle mayhem. (April's Diary is one of the funniest things I've read in a LONG time!)  
candelight- for reading, reviewing, hanging in there, for being you. _Doomo arigato_, my friend.  
graad- for picking up on a bit of foreshadowing. :)**


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